Physical Exertion: Intermediate – Advanced / Technical Ability: Intermediate+
Crested Butte
Crested Butte is a mecca of mountain biking, and according to some it’s where it all began. Dating back to the 1970’s, the town of Crested Butte has been at the forefront of the sport, and today it’s at the top of everyone’s bucket list. With hundreds of miles of trails, almost all accessible from town, there’s enough here to keep even the most avid mountain biker busy for weeks.
Our trip itinerary will focus on both the bucket list trails (401, Doctor Park, Teocalli) plus some of the more underrated, but incredible descents in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Our rides will typically start with a shuttle drop in order to maximize our mileage; check the example itinerary below for a good idea of what you can expect.
Airport Options: Gunnison (35 min) – Denver (4+ hrs)
INTERACTIVE CRESTED BUTTE TRAIL MAP
DETAILS AND EXAMPLE ITINERARY
Each trip is custom designed and every one will be different – you’ll receive the exact routes and trails with your official trip itinerary, which will be emailed to you about a week before the trip. For our three full-day rides (long option), you can expect an average of 20-25 miles, 3000′ of climbing and around 5,000’+ of descending while the shorter rides will be closer to 15 miles, 2000′ of climbing and 3500′ of descent.
Day 1: Plan on arriving around 5:30 in Crested Butte, where we’ll have everyone check in, unpack and get our demo bikes set up. After that we’ll have a welcome dinner and drinks before getting a rundown of trip basics along with the first day’s ride options.
Day 2: Today’s ride is a 2-parter, with a pretty mellow warmup ride in the morning before stopping in town to refuel with a lunch break. The afternoon will have a solid climb to get the legs (and lungs) stretched out before hitting a couple of super fun descents. (Shorter rides today total about 15 miles, 2200′ of climbing)
Day 3: Doctor Park is one of the bucket-list rides in all of North America, and with today’s ride plan we’re turning it into an instant classic. We get a shuttle drop high up on Reno Ridge above 11,000′ and hit two classic descents (Flag and Bear Creek) before connecting into Doctor Park later in the day. Expect one easier climb and two longer ones that will certainly require some effort! It’s all worth it though, as we near 6,000′ of epic Crested Butte downhills split between the three main trails (shorter ride option is 16 miles, 1800′ of climbing and 3000′ of descending).
Day 4: Today we’re heading just south of town for a figure-8 loop of Teocalli Ridge and Strand Hill, one of our favorite combos in the area. The climb up to Teocalli Ridge is definitely a stiff one, but the 2500′ descent that awaits is always a rider favorite and you’ll soon forget the effort it took to reach the top! Once we’re at the bottom, we head over to Strand Hill for a shorter lap to end on the Canal Trail. (shorter ride option is 16 miles, 1800′ of climbing and descending)
Day 5: It’s the last day of the trip, but that doesn’t mean we’re done riding! This morning we’ll get a shuttle drop at the 403 trailhead, right around 11,000′. The ride starts with a pretty mellow 20 minute climb to the top of 403, where the views will take your breath away (and so will the lack of oxygen!). 403 is a rippin’ descent with some steeps and a bit of tech, that drops about 2400′ in under 4 miles. From there we’ll loop Trail 401, which is famous for a reason with its endless singletrack, all-time views and beautiful aspen forests. What a way to finish! (shorter ride option is about 10 miles with 1800′ of climbing/descending)
